The city of Newport has received a $3 million grant to upgrade aging water and sewer infrastructure in its downtown core, part of a larger redevelopment plan that includes 400 housing units and 80,000 square feet of commercial space.
Mayor Rick Ufford-Chase said the current sewer system under Main Street is decades old and cannot support further development. The grant will also help fund a recreation center.
"We have to build a downtown that is focused on real people who live in this area," Ufford-Chase said. "Visitors will come and enjoy it, because locals depend on it as a place of connection and economic activity."
The Northern Vermont Development Association (NVDA) will use separate grant funding to clean up a vacant lot known as "The Pit." The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) will oversee work at the Newport Railyard.
Construction on the water and sewer upgrades is expected to begin next year.
NEK will be looking into the timeline for cleanup of "The Pit" and the status of the Newport Railyard redevelopment.
Originally reported by WPTZ NBC5.
Photo: Werner Pfennig via Pexels. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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